44 parties to nominate candidates for PNG elections
Papua New Guinea Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates Commission has confirmed that only 44 parties will field candidates in the elections. Registrar Dr Alphonse Gelu said the commission had de-registered 10
Millons lost during Solomon Islands lockdowns
Solomon Islands has lost millions of dollars in tax revenue as a result of the recent COVID-19 lockdowns imposed at the beginning of community transmission last month. Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare announced the
Pacific Islands Forum Chair welcomes Micronesia position
The Pacific Islands Forum Chair, Acting Prime Minister of Fiji Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum says the temporary suspension of the FSM withdrawal from the Pacific Islands Forum will help the ongoing discussions towards a
The Pacific Islands become collateral damage on drug superhighway
(THE INTERPRETER) The illicit drugs trade in the Pacific Islands continues to evolve despite Covid-19 border closures. The seizure of more than 500 kilograms of cocaine in Papua New Guinea in 2020 demonstrated that the
Marshall Islands pushes back on ship registry criticism
A Marshall Islands ship registry official has pushed back at criticism a U.S organisation lobbed its way as part of the announcement that the United States government is going to launch an “open” ship registry. The
Anti-money laundering regulations in the Pacific – a double-edged sword
Across the world, new measures are being introduced to keep up with the increasingly sophisticated money laundering and terrorism-financing schemes. The compliance burdens of the anti-money laundering and
Solomon Islands: A weak nation ravaged by a health crisis
After riots in November last year devastated certain parts of Honiara and severely crippled the Solomon Islands’ economy, the capital has been ravaged in recent weeks by the rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus. The
Pacific Islands Forum solidarity may survive yet
There has been a reprieve for Pacific regionalism and the unity of the Pacific Islands Forum. And U.S. Secretary of States, Antony Blinken who is currently in Fiji, has welcomed the decision of the Forum’s
COVID, climate, China, Compacts: Blinken’s Pacific agenda
A decade since the last visit of a U.S. Secretary of State to the Pacific Islands, the U.S. President’s chief foreign advisor, Antony Blinken visits Fiji briefly today in an effort to re-engage with Pacific
PNG election polling date moved to accomodate threat of COVID-19 surge: Sinai
The PNG election polling date has been moved forward to 18 June from 25 June, Papua New Guinea Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai has announced. Sinai said this cut the campaign period to 52 days from 28 April to 18
Bad weather slows search for Fiji end of broken Tonga cable
Progress has been slow in the search for the Fiji end of Tonga’s submarine telecommunications cable – suspected to be broken in several places by the Tonga volcano eruption of last month. Bad weather and
PNG’s PM Marape tests positive for COVID-19 in Beijing, cancels France trip
Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in Beijing on Thursday for the opening of the Winter Games and will not be traveling to France this week for an Indo-Pacific
Local banker Smith is Westpac Fiji CEO
Westpac has announced the appointment of Shane Smith as its new Chief Executive for Fiji. “I’m honoured and humbled by the opportunity to lead this great business and build on the legacy of my predecessors.
Rebuilding post-eruption Tonga: 4 key lessons from Fiji
While news from Tonga is still disrupted following the massive undersea eruption and tsunami on January 15, it’s clear the island nation has suffered significant damage to housing stock and infrastructure. Once
Ripple effect: What the Tonga eruption could mean for tsunami research
The Tonga eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano in the South Pacific Ocean on 15 January, 2022 created a rare event never before detected with modern instruments. A powerful tsunami raced forward, leaving
COVID-19 may create a flood of criminal deportations to the Pacific
Closed borders have created a backlog of criminal deportations to Pacific Islands states, and more effective transition programs are needed to reduce the risk of recidivism among returnees, Henrietta McNeill and Magele
Pacific corruption scores continue to stagnate: Urgent action required
Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index adds Fiji as a fourth Pacific nation, as stagnation demonstrates the critical importance of corruption reform in the region to secure basic rights and freedoms.
Australian Seasonal Worker scheme ‘rife with abuse’: Inquiry
Supermarket shelves are filled with fruit and vegetables but the people who harvest them are sometimes being paid just A$100 (US$71) for a 64-hour work week. On Wednesday, seasonal workers detailed exploitation at the
COVID-19 closures and Fiji schools
By Epeli Krishan Sen Vakalalabure and Lotarakuita Anand Sen Saurara Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter series notes that time is a mysterious thing and, when meddled with, could have severe
Outlook 2022: The year ahead
For the third year running, COVID-19 is defining and disrupting life, leadership and governance in the Pacific Islands. Compounded by climate change-related flooding and the devastating Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai
Kacific gets nod to provide Tonga broadband Internet
Rural and remote communities in Tonga will now have broadband Internet access, following the lifting by Tongan authorities of earlier restrictions placed on Singaporean-based satellite service provider Kacific
COVID-19 lessons for public messaging
Whether it was the early reports out of China in late 2019, the World Health Organization’s announcement of a pandemic in March 2020, or the dreaded first official announcement of an in-country case, everyone
Opinion: Promoting kava exports, ignoring sustainability
On 1 December 2021, Australia launched a pilot program for the commercial importation of kava from the Pacific islands, joining a modest global boom in trade in this iconic Pacific product. As Pacific Trade Invest
